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On Lands Iga Swiatek & Ben Shelton for Tennis Expansion Push 

The rising tennis stars are joining On as the company continues to break into the sport. The head-to-toe partnerships will include custom editions of the ROGER PRO on-court shoe. 

After launching in 2010 and finding its initial footing firmly rooted in running, On has been aggressively looking to expand into tennis. The first major domino came in 2019 when it added tennis icon Roger Federer as a strategic investor, product insights resource, and global ambassador.

It didn’t hurt that Federer also lives in the Zurich region of Switzerland, allowing him to visit On’s headquarters around two dozen times in 2021, as the collective worked to launch his first ROGER PRO signature collection.

Now, the company is expanding even deeper into tennis, launching performance apparel for the first time as it looks to further entrench itself in the game. This week, On landed two of the sport’s rising stars as their first head-to-toe tennis endorsers, signing World No. 1 ranked Iga Swiatek and American phenom Ben Shelton. 

Roger Federer meets with On execs to discuss his ROGER PRO sneaker. (Image via On)

Both players will debut the company’s first performance tennis apparel collection, while also working with designers and the brand’s Lightning innovation team at On Labs to create their own custom editions of the ROGER PRO on-court tennis shoe. 

“Iga and Ben represent the next generation of world-class talent,” said Federer. “Both players demonstrate On’s competitive spirit and embody current and future champions of the sport. We are pleased to welcome them to the On family.”

Swiatek has won three Grand Slam titles in the last three years during her ascent to the top of the WTA totem pole, along with a tally of 12 tour titles for the 21-year-old’s resume. 

“I’m very excited to be the first female player to join with On,” she said. “It has been very inspirational for me to develop my ideas and needs with them, working on my current and future gear.”

“Iga sets a superior standard for ushering in a new contingent of outstanding tennis pros who will benefit from On’s years of performance innovations,” added On Co-CEO, Marc Maurer.  

In Shelton, the company is adding a 20-year-old sensation from Florida whose quarterfinal climb at the 2023 Australian Open saw his status in the sport spike to a top-50 world ranking. 

“As someone in the early stage of my professional career and a challenger on the tour, I love that I’ve partnered with a company that has years of experience in sports performance and is looking to take over a new sport like tennis,” Shelton said. 

With continued growth in store as the company charges into its second decade in business, On will be looking forward to showcasing and highlighting the two newest faces of the company in both Swiatek and Shelton. 

“We’re excited for the journey with our impressive team, as their careers will undoubtedly flourish on the world stage for many years to come,” closed Maurer. 

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About The Author
Nick DePaula
Nick DePaula
Nick DePaula covers the footwear industry and endorsement deals surrounding the sporting landscape, with an emphasis on athlete and executive interviews. The Sacramento, California, native has been based in Portland, Oregon, for the last decade, a main hub of sneaker company headquarters. He’ll often argue that How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days is actually an underrated movie, largely because it’s the only time his Sacramento Kings have made the NBA Finals.